The United States Navy has seen numerous delays with its Virginia-class attack submarine program, and it was a year-and-a-half ago the Government Accountability Office (GAO) warned that staffing problems and supply chain issues mean the nuclear-powered boats were running about two years late. Since the release of the watchdog group’s report, the latest submarines are even up to three years behind schedule.
However, the sea service and the submarine industrial base have been working to address the issue, and USNI News reported that shipbuilders General Dynamics Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News – the two firms charged with the manufacture of the submarines – are in the process of finalizing the detail design and construction contracts for the future Block V boats USS Baltimore (SSN-812) and USS Atlanta (SSN-813).
“As part of the Fiscal Year 2024 defense spending bill, Congress appropriated $9.4 billion for the two boats, but were short by almost $2 billion to cover the rising cost of labor and supplies,” USNI News reported.
